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I N D E P E N D E N T V O I C E F O R K A N S A S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015
VOL. 120 NO. 118
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Double majoring isn’t for everyone
Wildcat blanket purchases benefit local, state shelters By Jena Ernsting the collegian
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ith a Purpose is a for-profit organization that strives to live up to its name and give back to the community, with a purpose. This organization fulfills the wants of college sports fans with team-based, licensed blankets and simultaneously provides the homeless with warmth and comfort with donated blankets. Nick Brunda, overseer of nonprofit partnerships for With a Purpose, focuses on working with local charities in the communities where each university is located. In addition to the university communities, With a Purpose also extends its donations to disaster relief and military veteran efforts. “For every blanket we’ve sold, we donate one locally,” Brunda said. With a Purpose has donated over 5,000 blankets program-wide. All of the blankets distributed by the program are one color, sit at 50 inches by 60 inches in size, and are made of 100 percent polyester. The website describes each blanket as providing “the recipient with warmth and dignity.” Josh Helland, CEO of With a Purpose, said he was inspired by Toms Shoes and its one-for-one campaign. This prompted him to look for another market the onefor-one campaign could benefit. A light bulb turned on in Helland’s head at the beginning of summer 2012, after working with the homeless and those transitioning off the streets back into housing.
Continued on page 5, “Blanket”
Photo Courtesy of the Manhattan Emergency Shelter, Inc. Manhattan Crisis Center employees Jill Bergling, case manager; Dene Kaster, grants and finance officer; and Jenna Osterman, donation and volunteer coordinator, with blanket donations from With a Purpose in December 2014.
Parker Robb | the collegian Bryan Pinkall, assistant professor of music, sings in the Grammy-winning Kansas City Chorale and recently released an album of Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov’s “All-Night Vigil” that is topping the iTunes and Billboard classical music charts with the Chorale. Pinkall was also the art director for the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Sochi, Russia.
Bryan Pinkall’s career has focused on reaching for the high notes, and now his performances are hitting the top of the charts. Pinkall, assistant professor of
Senators have marathon second-to-last meeting By Bridget Beran the collegian
‘Visionary’ voice professor adds to accomplishments with solo on chart-topping album
By Scotland Preston the collegian
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Head-2-Head: Does God matter?
music, released an album March 10 with two multi-Grammy-winning ensembles, the Kansas City Chorale and Phoenix Chorale. The album is a recording of Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov’s “All-Night Vigil,” and they released it on the 100th anniversary of its premiere. “It is daunting to record a really famous piece of music,” Pinkall said.
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“You could mess up an unheard of piece and no one would know.” Pinkall said the group was told about the project a year before the recording so they could get familiar with it, which included listening to every recording ever made of the song. Once recording began, Pinkall said they had weekly rehearsals, and then sound engineers spent six months making it as perfect as they wanted. Pinkall said he is shocked at the interest the album is receiving. It is only the second classical album ever featured on iTunes First Play, and the album debuted at number one on the Top Classical Albums and Tradition Classical Albums charts on Billboard. Classical music doesn’t have the attraction of pop music, Pinkall said, so he’s really happy that people are enjoying it because the attention it’s getting has so much to do with the listeners. “Music is constantly building on
what has been done in the past, and great recordings allow future generations to enjoy and study that level of quality,” said Gary Mortenson, director of the School of Music, Theatre and Dance. He said the recording will stand the test of time and serve as a model for future interpretations. Mortenson said he loves listening to the incredible blend, balance, style and nuance present in this piece. “It makes my heart swell to hear such a perfect blend of fantastic voices,” Mortenson said. Pinkall said creating the recording was really emotional for him as well. All the performers were giving it their all, and at times they had to stop and take it all in. “It’s really emotional,” Pinkall said. “If people listen to it, they can tell.”
Continued on page 5, “Pinkall”
The Student Governing Association considered a multitude of bylaw and statute changes in the second-to-last meeting of the term. Senators debated combining the Student Affairs committee and the Communications Committee into the Student Engagement Committee. This change would remove the Speaker Pro Tem from chairing – whereas Speaker Pro Tem Kurt Lockwood, senior in agricultural economics, currently chairs the Student Affairs Committee – and have a chair appointed in the same manner as the other standing committees. Due to the lower amount of spaces on committees, the speaker will be given the option to exempt senators from serving on a committee. Senators made a statute change to how funding is used for the College Allocations Committee and University Allocations Committee. Previously, each committee was only able to allocate 60 percent of its funds for students to travel to an event. The change made it so that as a whole, the two committees still may not spent more than 60 percent of the budget on travel requests total, but an individual committee may as long as the total stays under 60 percent. The change will allow the committees to pull from the same account. “We’re trying to make better use of our funds and make it easier for students to access those funds,” Mason Grittman, senior in mechanical engineering, said. A resolution to support the Collegiate Housing Infrastructure Act which would allow tax-exempt charitable and education organizations to give grants to non-university owned not-for-profit housing entities that provide more affordable housing to students, such as greek housing. Senators also considered the results of the SGA general elections. The results will only become official after approval from the current senate. Statute changes were also considered for the Student-Centered Tuition Enhancements Committee. Changes would lower the amount of funding for the committee to a minimum of $750,000 instead of $1 million and re-evaluated which organizations were priority-funding groups. Also considered was an increase in funding for Lafene Health Center on a three-year cycle. Senators debated the creation of the Green Action Fund Committee, which would serve to allocate funding to large-scale student-centered sustainability-enhancing projects. Changes were also considered to the statutes for the process for requesting funds and to better utilize the event coordinator. Changes were considered for the bylaws of the Tuition and Fees Strategies Committee to clarify that recommendations can only be made for the following year. “I don’t feel comfortable putting those kind of limitations on future generations of K-Staters,” Reagan Kays, senior in agribusiness and student body president, said.
There was more to SGA’s meeting Scan the QR code to read more or visit www. kstatecollegian. com
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CORRECTIONS Due to a Collegian error, the diversity article on page one of Thursday’s edition failed to clarify that the number of enrolled diverse students was provided by Myra Gordon, associate provost for the Office of Diversity. Due to a Collegian error, the illustration on page three was incorrectly attributed. It was drawn by Kellie Goss.
Bridget Beran campus news editor
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Zits | By Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman
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785-260-0207 The Fourum is a quirky view of campus life in voices from the K-State community. Positive and humorous comments are selected for publication by the Collegian marketing staff.
Thankful for this weather. Naps on naps on naps. Anyone else feel like the parking garage is just a cold, dark, multi-level cave? I can’t see a darn thing in there.
Editor’s note: To submit your Fourum contribution, call or text 785-260-0207 or email thefourum@kstatecollegian. com. Your e-mail address or phone number is logged but not published.
KenKen | Hard
Use numbers 1-4 in each row and column without repeating. The numbers in each outlined area must combine to produce the target number in each area using the mathematical operation indicated.
THE BLOTTER ARREST REPORTS
Wednesday, March 25
Porscha Sherrell Merrils, of the 700 block of Griffith Drive, was booked for endangering a child under the age of 18. Bond was set at $1,000. Daniel Joseph Tiemissen, of the 2500 block of Farm Bureau Road, was booked for unlawful possession of hallucinogens or marijuana. Bond was set at $1,000. Brandon Kyle Bittner, of Fort Riley, Kansas, was booked for criminal damage to property. Bond was set at $1,000. Calen Eugene Erickson, of the 1300 block of Sundance Drive, was booked for unlawful possession of hallucinogens. Bond was set at $1,500.
Daniella Andrea Bullock, of the 800 block of Dondee Drive, was booked for driving with a cancelled, suspended or revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500. Tracy Edward Powell, of Marietta, Oklahoma, was booked for theft of services greater than $25,000, obtaining a prescription unlawfully and false impersonation. Bond was set at $10,000. Anthony Demarcus McCollums, of Forth Worth, Texas, was booked for failure to appear, sale or distribution of illegal drugs, two counts of unlawful possession of hallucinogens and use or possession of paraphernalia with intent for use into a human body. Bond was set at $33,500.
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Religion Directory MANHATTAN JEWISH CONGREGATION SUNDAYS 1001 South Scenic Dr.
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By Dave Green
3/27
Manhattan, KS 66503
Sunday Services
Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Morning Service 10:45 a.m. Evening Service 6:00 p.m. Wednesday Service 6:30 p.m.
First United Methodist Church 612 Poyntz Ave. fumcmanhattan.com @fumcmhk 776-8821
Come Join Us Contemporary Worship: 8:35 Fellowship Time: 9:30 Sunday School: 9:45 Traditional Worship: 11:00 Supporters of K-State Wesley
Traditional Services 8:15 & 11:15 a.m. Contemporary Services 8:15, 9:45 & 11:15 a.m. www.uccmanhattan.net 2800 Claflin Rd. • 785-776-5440
Christian Science Services Sunday 10:00 a.m. Wednesday 7:00 p.m. in the Reading Room
110 S. 4th St. Reading Room: Tues.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Worship: Fri. 7:30 pm 1509 Wreath Ave, Manhattan Everyone Welcome!
www.manhattanjewishcong.org
In association with HILLEL The Jewish student organization www.k-state.edu/hillel
St. Isidore’s Catholic Student Center MASS SCHEDULE Tuesday-Thursday 10 p.m. Friday 12:10 p.m. Saturday 5 p.m. Sunday 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m. Father Jarett Konrade, Chaplain
711 Denison
539-7496
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH ELCA Worship: Saturday 5:30 pm • Sunday 10 am Christian Education Sunday 9 am Community Dinner Thursday Nights Handicapped Accessible Find us on Facebook!
www.FirstLutheranManhattan.org 930 Poyntz • 785 537 8532
Worship Service at 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Adult and Children Bible Hour Classes Offered at 10:00 a.m. 785.776.0424 www.gracebchurch.org 2901 Dickens Ave. (2 blks. E. of Seth Child)
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015
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Does double majoring have double the benefits? By Hannah Vu the collegian Just as with everything, there are pros and cons to a double major. Ultimately, however, it is up to the students to decide whether or not it is necessary for their future. On one hand, double majoring can be worthwhile for expanding knowledge and acquiring skills in time management, persistence and discipline. Having a double major may also help you stand out when looking for jobs. In her fastweb.com article “Double Majors Do Double Duty,” Elisa Kronish makes the case that double majoring can indicate to future employers that you’re adaptable and flexible. “Part of the charm for employers is that your extra work demonstrates a willingness to take on difficult tasks,” Kronish said. “If your majors overlap, you demonstrate to employers that you possess breadth of knowledge as well as depth in a certain field.” Jennifer Tatman, journalism and mass communications academic adviser, said she agrees that double majoring can be a good option for students. “I think double majoring can be a great option for students who have specific interests and want to get an in depth knowledge of more than one field,” Tatman said. “I think double majoring would be good for a student who has career goals in mind that can not be met by completing just one major, or a major and a minor.” According to Tatman, examples of double majors that work well together are public relations and political science or English and print journalism. She has seen students double major in majors like English, history, political science, communication studies, art, anthropology, business, apparel marketing, hospitality management, education and agriculture. Colby Murphy, business administration academic adviser, also said accounting with finance and marketing with management are good dou-
Parker Robb | the collegian Senior William Baldwin is double majoring in both Spanish and computer science. Baldwin originally planned to only major in Spanish during his first year at K-State after returning from nine months in Spain, but later discovered his love for computer science through an introductory class.
ble majors for business students. Students can talk to their academic advisers if they are thinking about adding another major. Advisers can offer more suggestions and provide professional advice. “I think double majoring gives you a broad perspective, as well as a broad education in the workforce,” Jonah Jacobsen, a junior double-majoring in accounting and finance,
said. “Adding another major is worth it if it’s something you enjoy. It might take a little longer, but it’s definitely manageable.” On the other hand, however, double majoring may not be worthwhile to some students depending on their interest and commitment levels, as well as their major and future employment opportunities. By double majoring, it is possible to lose the
flexibility to take electives. Double majoring also costs extra time and money. “I think completing a double major just to have that on your resume would not be a good idea,” Tatman said. “It can be a lot of extra work that may not be necessary to get a job.” For those with a very specific focus and major, a double major may not be necessary.
“I personally don’t see a reason to get two majors, because it is not necessary for me,” Andrew Arling, freshman in archeology, said. Considering which type of double major to strive for depends on potential future occupational opportunities. Double majoring is an opportunity that all college students have, but it may require extra time, investment and planning.
Guest editorial: Some questions about K-State’s partnership with Confucius Institute
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Is there an important difference between an international exchange program in which students cross borders to study abroad, and a international education institute on the K-State campus that is funded by a government? What if the government that funds the institute is undemocratic and has a lousy track record of respecting basic human rights, such as religious freedom and freedom of expression? If this government provides money for what is supposed to be a non-political institute whose primary aims are to provide language instruction and to promote knowledge of the culture, does that make a difference? These are questions we should be asking about the new Confucius Institute at K-State. As reported in the March 18 edition of K-State Today, there will be a grand opening ceremony for the new K-State Confucius Institute on April 7. For background, readers might have a look at Marshall Sahlins’ 2013 article from The Nation, “China U.” “Many reputable and informed scholars of China have observed that the Confucius Institutes are marked by the same “no-go zones” that Beijing enforces on China’s public sphere,” Sahlin said. “In an interview reported in The New York Times, June Teufel Dreyer, who teaches Chinese
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government and foreign policy at Miami University, said: ‘You’re told not to discuss the Dalai Lama – or to invite the Dalai Lama to campus. Tibet, Taiwan, China’s military buildup, factional fights inside the Chinese leadership – these are all off limits.’ The Confucius Institutes at North Carolina State University and the University of Sydney actively attempted to prevent the Dalai Lama from speaking. At Sydney, he had to speak off-campus, and the (Confucius Institute) sponsored a lecture by a Chinese academic who had previously claimed that Tibet was always part of China, notwithstanding that it was mired in feudal darkness and serfdom until the Chinese democratic reforms of 1959. The Confucius Institute at Waterloo University mobilized its students to defend the Chinese repression of a Tibetan uprising, and McMaster University and Tel Aviv University ran into difficulties with the legal authorities because of the anti–Falun Gong activities of their Confucius Institutes. Other taboo subjects include the Tiananmen massacre, blacklisted authors, human rights, the jailing of dissidents, the democracy movement, currency manipulation, environmental pollution and the Uighur autonomy movement in Xinjiang.” These concerns are also behind the American Association of University Professor’s
report from 2014. According to the AAUP report, universities should refrain from hosting a Confucius Institute unless the terms of the agreement between the Institute and the host university grant the host university “unilateral control ... over all academic matters.” The agreement should also guarantee that Confucius Institute employees have the same legal rights to academic freedom that are enjoyed by other university employees. Inside Higher Ed reports the University of Chicago has decided to terminate its relationship with the Confucius Institute after concerns were voiced by many faculty. Why should members of the K-State community care about these issues? Suppose K-State faculty want to organize conferences or events on the following topics: the ethnic cleansing of Uighurs in Xinjiang province, the “One China Policy” (which opposes an independent Taiwan), Internet freedom from a global perspective or the oppression of dissidents. These topics are not hypotheticals. The New York Times reported a professor at a Chinese university, Ilham Tohti, was sentenced to life in prison for his nonviolent political activism. Tohti advocates peaceful resistance against efforts by the Chinese state to force-assimilate Uighurs in Xinjiang province. Uighurs, a
predominantly Muslim ethnic minority with their own language and culture, labor under state oppression. Or suppose there were a proposal to create a Tibet Institute? Will K-State be exempt from the pressures that all of the abovementioned universities faced when they wanted to promote dialogue on topics the Chinese state wants to suppress? I happen to agree with Tohti that there should be resistance to what the Chinese state is doing to Uighurs. Yet I will not be fired from K-State for expressing this viewpoint. If an employee of the Confucius Institute were to defend a similar viewpoint, or were she to pen an op-ed like this one, will she be guaranteed the same protections for academic freedom? Here is another example. Suppose Vladimir Putin was willing to sponsor a Russian Studies Center at K-State on the condition that funds given to the Center could not be used to host a conference on current events in Crimea and Ukraine. Would it be a good idea for K-State to accept such an offer? This is not an exact analogy but it does help us see an important question: on what terms should a university be willing to host an institute that is funded by a
“
government? In posing these questions, it is essential to be clear about where we stand on the topic of international education. Some who raise worries about international education programs do so because they are opposed to greater engagement with the global community. In general, that is a very bad idea, one that usually springs from xenophobic motives or some form of parochialism or bigotry. When it comes to international education, we should favor engagement. In my own case, I have led study abroad programs in Italy and Turkey; I have given lectures or attended conferences in undemocratic states, including China and Kazakhstan; and I am currently teaching courses in Kyrgyzstan (which is, by the way, a democracy). These have been the most rewarding experiences in my career. Yet I have been doubly protected with respect to my academic freedom when participating in these activities; first, by the academic freedom guaranteed by my employer, K-State; and secondly, by norms of scholarship that are for the most part followed at international conferences or extended to foreign faculty when they teach abroad. Does the agreement
between K-State and the Confucius Institute, which will be located on our campus, provide similar guarantees for academic freedom to those who will be employed by the Confucius Institute? It is also essential to stress the following point: we should embrace international students on our campus whether they come from a democratic state or not. An individual is not a state! As students and professors we can learn more about many things from each other (e.g. a culture or a religion) than we can from books. The diversity that international students bring should be celebrated. When it comes to international students: the more the better! Yet our support for international education should be qualified when it comes to the specific terms of engagement. Not all forms of engagement are equal. The concerns that many in the academic community have expressed about the Confucius Institute should be our concerns too. If we fail to address them, we risk making a rotten compromise. Jon Mahoney is an associate professor of philosophy. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian. com.
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OPINION
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FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015
Religion provides stability, happiness Abandoning the crutch of religion By Jena Ernsting the collegian Those who identify with a religion and those who don’t are constantly pitted against each other. This controversy, unfortunately, even extends between those who identify with different religions, as well. According to a September 2013 Trinity College report based on the ARIS 2013 National College Student Survey, when asked to share their worldview, 31.8 percent of college students said they identify as religious, 32.4 percent of students identify as spiritual and 28.2 percent of students identify as secular. The last 7.7 percent of students just didn’t know.
My religious identity
I identify as a Christian, Catholic and monotheistic. I did not make this choice until recently. My mother chose to continue her Catholic faith into her adulthood, thus raising me as a Catholic. I fully acknowledge my right to pave my own path now that I am older and on my own, but I like sticking to what I know and have lived with the past 18 years of my life. Understanding that my beliefs are backed up by doctrine and 2,000 years of history satisfies the more scientific, fact-based part of my personal belief system. Additionally, many miracles performed by saints and sinners alike have been proven scientifically that they are, in fact, miracles. “Miracles of the Eucharist” by Bob and Penny Lord is one example of this. Regardless of having science to back up my beliefs, I crave knowing that there is something, someone out there that is bigger than me, larger than anything I know.
Applying morality
I am not perfect in my faith and I do not believe anyone is, regardless if they believe in a god, many gods
or none. Do I have doubts? Yes. Do I question parts of the Catholic and Christian faith? Yes. Do I let my questions and doubts steer me away from what I have come to understand? No. I understand where my beliefs lie. Was I throwing my morals out the window when I briefly mentioned how unnecessary it was for Gov. Sam Brownback to throw an anti-abortion anecdote into his State of the State address in a past opinion article? No, I was not. I was briefly pointing out that it is not necessary for religion to be thrown into areas where it is only meant to target one small group of people and rile them up. I know this because I spent one full year of high school religion class where morals was basically the name of my textbook. Having a basis of religion provides happiness and the ability for people to have social support and meet like-minded people. It provides us with answers that cannot be proved with science. Why are we here? What does life mean? Religion gives opportunities for personal expansion and growth through finding and knowing oneself through prayer and meditation Most importantly, religion provides a moral basis; it takes the rights and wrongs we learned as children and has made them the guiding way of life.
Accountability
For those who do not believe in any gods, I question accountability and morals. It is understandable that you may hold yourself accountable, maybe to your family and loved ones and (in most cases) society. Other than gauging your morals on the rights and wrongs you learned as a child and civil laws, though, how do you hold yourself accountable morally? The idea that religion cannot exist as a guiding factor in life or that it is
unnecessary is absurd. “Religion makes us want to live,” Oliver Thomas said in a Aug. 8, 2010 USA Today article titled, “Why do we need religion?” I could not have said it better myself. Religion makes me want to live my best life in order to see what happens after I die.
In times of need
Take a look back to any major moments in your life when something was going wrong. Either you muttered the word “God” somewhere during that time or you prayed. You may have even asked God to help you get through hard times in your life in exchange for becoming a better person or some other bargaining chip. Most people have an understanding of the Christian God, which explains why even those who grow up without a direct religion or a major belief system turn to him in times of need. Let’s not blame insufficient evidence for not believing in a religion or in a god. There are thousands of years of evidence in support of most religions, many miracles that could not have happened through man alone and other affirmations supporting that believing in a god can ultimately make you happier. I understand that not all religions are good or even moral by Western standards. I’m not here to tell you that you should believe in God or convert to Christianity. I want to, though, help provide insight to why religion plays such a prominent part in so many lives. When given a try, it can truly provide much more than you expect. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Collegian. Jena Ernsting is a freshman in agricultural communications and journalism. Please send all comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
By Jonathan Greig the collegian I had a truly great upbringing, with two loving parents, in a Christian home. I regularly attended our local church and its Sunday School group, and I shared in our community’s belief in God. One day, after a particularly uneasy lesson, I decided that I had absolutely no reason good enough to believe in God anymore. It’s kind of a big commitment, after all. Although I fully admit that perhaps one day I will find a reason to believe in God that is good enough to satisfy me, nearly a decade later that day has still not yet come. I am a spiritual atheist, and I’m here to tell you why religion is unnecessary in my life, and why it is becoming unnecessary for humanity as a whole. I also want to assuage some of the more negative feelings and stereotypes of atheism in the U.S. I am not attempting to paint us as victims, but there is definitely an underlying mistrust or coldness that the word “atheist” can contain. According to a July 16, 2014 Pew Research Center article titled, “How Americans Feel About Religious Groups,” randomly selected U.S. adults were asked to rate different religions on a feeling thermometer, where zero reflects a negative and cold rating. Atheists received a well-below average warmness rating of 41, on a scale of zero to 100. The article further explained this low rating, and said “Atheists receive a neutral rating of 50, on average, from people who say they personally know an atheist, but they receive a cold rating of 29 from those who do not know an atheist.” So, hey, we’re really not so bad once you get to know us. Our image, however, could certainly use some work. Not all atheists are smug, immoral or trying to steal Christmas away from you (well, we’ll bide our time at least ... until Bill O’Reilly lets his guard down). Now that I’ve hit this point with statistics, I don’t feel so bad
saying something anecdotal. I am personally saddened by how many times I’ve heard people share things with me like, “I might be atheist too, but I’d rather not have the stigma.” Let’s get away from perceptions of atheism for a while and focus on the role of religion I’ve found in my own life. The Pew data shows that the key to feeling more favorably towards atheists is to get to know them (huh, understanding someone helps you to trust them). What are some of the ideal products of religion in life? Those would be things like beauty, gratitude, morality, community and love. I firmly believe the religious and nonreligious are both trying to reach a similar understanding of these things, only using differing strategies. Some find awe and wonder in a perfectly created existence by an all-powerful something because they have a designed place in it, which would make humanity special. I find much more beauty in the idea that the universe is random and only aware through our own consciousness; that there’s no sentient force driving the universe. This idea is much scarier and more precious to me because of just how astronomically lucky we are to be here and know that we’re here, and this leads right from beauty to gratitude. If our existence was simply the tiniest of cosmic blips or the inevitable result of the multiverses, or if it came about through chance instead of a destined plan, then our gratitude for being would shift from one towards a benevolent designer to one where we can be grateful to the universe itself. This has shifted the focus of this feeling away from the heavens and to the people around me; in other words, instead of prayers of thankfulness, I try to embody this thankfulness in disposition. As for morality, community and love, I see how religion strives to instill these in humanity, but ultimately doesn’t it seem a bit limiting to have to rely on it for them? Many people use their religion as a moral template, or least
a guide. I have read the Bible (including taking a Bible class here at K-State), the Quran, many books on world religions, study philosophy and even regularly attend a Bible study. I gather morality from all of them and other sources. Humanity constructs morality; it isn’t a set thing laid out in a book. How many of us would say that the morality espoused in the Bible matches our moral sense today? For instance, if we had to agree on a modern Ten Commandments, wouldn’t you think despicable acts like rape or enslaving an entire group of people might make the list? Hopefully there would be less page space dedicated to disrespecting our benevolent creator or wearing polyester (Leviticus 19:19). For some, constructing our own morality sounds dangerous and an excuse for abandoning it entirely, but to me it instills a sense of ultimate responsibility for it. Morality isn’t handed down to us on high to easily follow; it is hard work building it ourselves. Morality falls at our feet, not the other way around. Just as you can gather lessons of morality from religion, you can also find community and love, but again, doesn’t it seem unnecessarily limiting? If we didn’t need religion for these things, if it didn’t serve as our crutch, we could find community and love amongst all people, everywhere, not just in our church. I realize that sounds overly idealistic, but I truly believe it is possible, because while I don’t have faith in God, I do in people. Carl Sagan once said that, “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.” So maybe, instead of dividing ourselves into our respective religious corners, we should all strive to love ourselves, love humanity and love the universe we exist in. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Collegian. Jonathan Greig is a senior in anthropology. Please send all comments to opinion@kstatecollegian. com.
Illustration by Mark Nelson
Street Talk compiled by Allison Evans
????
If you could try out any profession for a day, other than the one you are currently working towards, what would it be and why?
????
Laura Rook
Alyssa Ebersole
Val Guizado
Raychel Gadson Senior, Public Relations
Senior, Hospitality Management
“A paramedic, because my dad is one and I think it would be cool to experience that for a day.”
“A pastry chef, because I love sweets and that would be a really fun job.”
“Painting, because I like art and I draw in my free time.”
“A stunt driver, because I love cars and going fast and movies with fast cars.”
“Probably public relations, because that sounds fun. It’s similar to what I’m doing, but would be more one-on-one.”
Sophomore, finance and Marketing
Senior, Hotel and Restaraunt Mgmt
Senior, Biology
Bethany Branfort
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015
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PINKALL | Encourages students to follow dreams BLANKET | 200 blankets already given out to public
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Pinkall said the difficulty of recording was the physical aspect; there are long phrases where the performers couldn’t breathe. Pinkall balances performing with teaching at K-State. He said he designates days for teaching only and doesn’t allow his professional career to interfere on those days. He also does the same for setting aside days to perform. “The perception that people have of me is that I work too much, but it’s not really the case,” Pinkall said. “I’m really good at finding free time.” Pinkall said performing helps him be a better teacher in the long run, because it gives him a lot of insight and keeps his ear fresh and brain
engaged. “(Pinkall) has so much experience, so early in his career, that it is incredible to see what he can do as far as dreaming big and seeing things through,” Mortenson said. Mortenson said if there were one word to describe Pinkall, it would be “visionary.” “(Pinkall) is simply fearless in visioning what he wants to do in life,” Mortenson said. “I so admire his ability to expand his horizons through his many and varied professional activities.” Leah Watts, senior in music education, said Pinkall’s ability to bring real life experiences into the classroom is one of the many things that make him a great teacher. “When talking to students about a performing ca-
reer, he is giving advice from his own personal experience, which is incredibly valuable information,” Watts said. Watts said Pinkall is supportive of all students following their dreams. As a singer and songwriter, Watts is encouraged by Pinkall to sing songs from her heart, and he uses his professional career to help her grow hers. To add to the list of his professional accolades, Pinkall was the art director of the Emmy-winning production of the 2014 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Russia. “It was a big Russian time in my life,” Pinkall said. “I had just gotten back from the Olympics and most of this piece is in Russian.” Pinkall said he saw the Olympics opportunity as both performing and teach-
ing, because it’s someone wanting your ideas. According to Pinkall, musicians are musicians because they want to make music – so whether he is producing or performing, he said he believes he is making music either way. Next, Pinkall will be involved in the theater production and showcase event, “Rhapsody II,” at the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri on May 9-10. All proceeds support scholarships and performing opportunities for K-State students. Tickets begin at $10 and can be purchased online at kauffmancenter.org. One hundred and fifty K-State students will be performing in “Rhapsody II,” and Pinkall said he is excited and encourages Manhattan residents to attend.
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Helland said he wanted to help provide products that would benefit people trying to break the cycle. “I was introduced to the needs and what’s required for people transitioning,” Helland said. It took over a year to launch the brand, which happened in late 2013. With a Purpose is currently expanding to college bookstores in the fall and other online retailers. The purchase of a K-State Wildcats blankets benefits the Manhattan Emergency Shelter, Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas and City Union Mission located in Kansas City, Missouri. The Manhattan Emergency Shelter serves men, women
and families with children who are homeless. On average, it serves around 500 people a year. While these blankets have been beneficial for the shelters and charities receiving them, they are also in need in other donations of food and cleaning products. To date, With A Purpose has donated about 200 blankets in the Manhattan area, 56 of which were delivered to the Manhattan Emergency Shelter this past December. “During the winter months, they are great blankets to have and are big enough to give out because they’re not bulky; they are good adultsized blankets,” Emily Wagner, executive director of the Manhattan Emergency Shelter, said. “We have given them all out.”
SPORTS
PAGE 6
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015
K-State faces back-to-back nationally-ranked opponents BASEBALL
By Timothy Everson the collegian After rain lay ruin to K-State baseball’s midweek game against Nebraska-Omaha, the Wildcats are set to head south to take on No. 12 Oklahoma State this weekend in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Wildcats have struggled against the Cowboys as of late, losing 10 of the last 12 games against Oklahoma State. K-State is 15-91 in games played in Stillwater, Oklahoma all-time. K-State (11-12, 0-3) had a rough start to conference play, dropping all three
games against No. 14 Texas last weekend. It was the first time K-State had been swept in a conference season opener since 2011. Oklahoma State, on the other hand, opened conference play on a lighter tone. The Cowboys traveled to Fort Worth, Texas to take on No. 5 TCU, and took two of the three games and the series from the Horned Frogs. The Wildcats will make an attempt to curve their 1-6 road record in their second Big 12 road trip of the season. Runs were hard to come up by for K-State in last weekend’s Texas series. The Wildcats came away with just five runs in the three games, including two one-
run games. Senior infielder Shane Conlon and junior outfielder Clayton Dalrymple will lead the charge for the Wildcats in their mission for increased offense. Dalrymple and Conlon lead the team in batting average with a .338 (Dalrymple) and .330 (Conlon) average so far this season, respectively. Conlon’s bat has been ablaze recently, with the junior hitting a .432 to go along with six doubles, one triple, one home run, seven RBI’s and nine runs scored. Since March 2, Conlon and Dalrymple lead the team with 18 hits combined. While offense, at times, has been absent, solid pitching has kept the Wildcats
close in every game. Sophomore right-hander Colton Kalmus (0-2, 4.05 ERA) will start off the series against Oklahoma State’s Jon Perrin (2-2, 3.95). Kalmus had a rough go of things last time out against Texas, allowing three runs on a season-high five hits in his five innings of work. On Saturday, a Wildcat pitcher yet-to-be-announced will match up against Remey Reed (2-0, 0.49 ERA). On Sunday, another unannounced K-State pitcher will take on Michael Freeman (40, ERA 1.63). First pitch of the series is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma tonight.
Cassandra Nguyen | the collegian Senior infielder Shane Conlon catches a pass during the K-State vs. Santa Clara series on March 7 at Tointon Family Stadium. The Wildcats took a victory throughout the threeday game series with 4-1 on Day 1, 17-5 on Day 2, and 10-3 on Day 3.
Wildcats split to compete in Emporia, Austin relays, 3 women participate in outdoor events for first time TRACK & FIELD
By Emilio Rivera the collegian After an impressive performance at the TCU Invitational last weekend, the K-State track and field teams will split to the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas today and Saturday, and the Emporia State Relays in Emporia, Kansas on Saturday. The women head into the weekend ranked No. 11 in the NCAA Division I Outdoor
Team Rankings. The rankings, which are primarily based on performance in the last outdoor season, along with each team’s returning group, were released Monday via U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association annual preseason rankings. This weekend will be the first competition in which the Wildcats will see their newly-honored athletes, junior multi-athlete Akela Jones, freshman sprinter A’Keyla Mitchell and sophomore high jumper Kim Williamson, compete. Each were honored as In-
door All-Americans after their performances at the NCAA Indoor Championships. All three women will be competing for the first time in the outdoor events for the Wildcats, with both Jones and Williamson transferring in from junior colleges before the indoor season. Jones is the only Wildcat to have received two First Team All-American honors in the indoor season, in both the long jump and high jump event, while also securing a Second Team All-American honor in the 60-meter hurdle
event. On the men’s side, K-State will showcase their freshman high-jump duo of Nate Gipson and Christoff Bryan, who are also competing in their first collegiate outdoor competition. Gipson, the reigning Texas state champion in the event, received Second Team All-American recognition after placing in 10th place at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The events at the Texas Relays begin with the 4X400 relays this morning. The Emporia State Relays are set to kickoff on Saturday morning.
Parker Robb | the collegian Senior heptathlete Sarah Kolmer competes in the long jump at the K-State Open track and field meet on Feb. 20 at Ahearn Field House.
K-State returns from lengthy break, Wildcats send three boats to San Diego, opens championships as No. 3 seed eye team’s first winning streak of season EQUESTRIAN
By Andrew Hammond the collegian Coming off back-toback upsets of ranked Big 12 foes, the No. 10 nationally-ranked K-State equestrian team looks to ride their twomatch winning streak into the Big 12 Championships starting today in Springtown, Texas. The Wildcats are slated as the No. 3 seed and will take on No. 2-seed Oklaho-
ma State. The winner of that match will face the winner of Baylor and TCU in the championship match on Saturday. A third-place match will also take place between the losing teams on Saturday. “Our team has been working extremely hard to prepare for the Big 12 Championship this week and are excited to be entering the post season,” K-State head coach Casie Maxwell said to K-State Sports. The Wildcats and Cowgirls split the season series this year, with each team
holding serve at home. In the most recent match, the Cowgirls picked up a 13-7 home victory. K-State senior Madison Wayda looks to continue her All Big-12 caliber season with a strong performance in Equitation on the Flat and Equitation Over Fences. Wayda is 1-1 against the Cowgirls this season in both of the disciplines. The Wildcats and Cowgirls are slated to begin their match at 10 a.m. at Turning Point Ranch in Springtown, Texas.
WOMEN’S ROWING
By Stephen Brunson the collegian K-State women’s rowing will send its top three boats to compete at the San Diego Crew Classic in San Diego, California this weekend. K-State’s 1st Varsity 8 will hit the water first on Saturday starting at 9:52 a.m. The team’s 1st Varsity 4 and 2nd Varsity 8 are scheduled to begin at 11:04 a.m and
11:44 a.m., respectively. This weekend’s regatta, or series of races, is the first multi-lane competition of the season for the Wildcats. K-State is coming off a sweep of Tulsa last weekend. “Not only is it good experience for the younger rowers, but it’s great preparation leading up to Big 12s,” K-State head coach Patrick Sweeney said to K-State Sports. Sweeney has chosen to stick with the same lineups that earned the 4-0 sweep a weekend ago in Oklahoma.
“One would hope they would be sort of right up there with the experience they got,” Sweeney said. “I’m expecting them to compete for a high spot in the final, that’s what they have to be going for. And if they get a great run on the day, maybe they could top it — you never know. Their goal is to be one of the top crews there.” Following the event, the Wildcats will head to Oak Ridge, Tennessee to compete in the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship.
Several emergency campus phones nonoperational due to construction projects By Jon Parton the collegian The K-State Police Department announced Thursday morning that several
blue-light emergency phones on campus are shut off due to ongoing construction projects. The phones will be nonoperational for an undetermined amount of time, according to Doran Herbel,
K-State Police communications specialist supervisor. “The amount of time they will be off varies with each construction project,” Herbel said. “So it’s hard to say when they will be back on.”
The following phones, which are wrapped in plastic, are affected: • West Stadium • West of parking lot D1 at West Stadium • Center of parking lot D1 at West Stadium
• • • •
East of Weber Hall in parking lot B3 East of Weber Hall in parking lot B2 Parking lot D2 near Kramer and Goodnow halls Alumni Center
•
East of the president’s house Additionally, the emergency phone on the fourth floor of the parking garage is temporarily nonoperational due to technical issues.
• Personal & Business Financial Planning • Retirement Planning • Mutual Funds • Education Funding • Insurance Planning • Estate Planning Insurance products are offered through insurance companies with which Waddell & Reed has sales arrangements.
8:30-9:00 “To Do for Honor What Hobbes Did for Justice,” Dan Demetriou (Philosophy, University of Minnesota, Morris) 9:00-9:30 “Liberalism and Honor through the Lens of Darwin,” Steven Forde (Political Science, University of North Texas-Denton)
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THINK LOCAL EDITION
9:30-10:00 “Putting One’s Best Face Forward: Why Liberalism Needs Honor,” Ryan Rhodes (Philosophy, University of Oklahoma) 10:15-10:45 “A Neo-Aristotelian Theory of Political Honor,” Steven C. Skultety (Philosophy, University of Mississippi)
10:45-11:15 “Good Citizens: Gratitude & Honor,” Anthony Cunningham (Philosophy, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s) 1:00-1:30 “Winston Churchill and Honor: The Complexity of Honor and Statesmanship,” Mark Griffith (Political Science, University of West Alabama)
1:30-2:00 “The Female Point of Honor in Post-Revolutionary France,”Andrea Mansker (History, Sewanee: University of the South)
2:15-2:45 “Honor in Military Culture: A Standard of Integrity and Framework for Moral Restraint,” Joe Thomas (Leadership Education, U.S. Naval Academy) 2:45-3:15 “‘The Honour of the Crown’: The State and its Soldiers,” Paul Robinson (International Relations, University of Ottawa)